The History of Black History
by Elissa Haney
Dr.
Carter G.
Woodson
Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926, first as "Negro History Week" and later as
"Black History Month.
" What you might not know is that black history had...
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The History of Black History
by Elissa Haney
Dr.
Carter G.
Woodson
Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926, first as "Negro History Week" and later as
"Black History Month.
" What you might not know is that black history had barely begun to be studied-or
even documented-when the tradition originated.
Although blacks have been in America at least as far
back as colonial times, it was not until the 20th century that they gained a respectable presence in the
history books.
Blacks Absent from History Books
We owe the celebration of Black History Month, and more importantly, the study of black history, to Dr.
Carter G.
Woodson.
Born to parents who were former slaves, he spent his childhood working in the
Kentucky coal mines and enrolled in high school at age twenty.
He graduated within two years and later
went on to earn a Ph.
D.
from Harvard.
The scholar was disturbed to find in his studies that history books
largely ignored the black
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